- Sunk cost bias was illustrated with examples in plumbing repairs, investing in stocks like QQQ, and hiring ineffective marketers in business.
- People often continue bad relationships or investments due to the psychological discomfort of admitting mistakes.
- Non-decisions are still decisions, and it’s important to consciously choose a path rather than defaulting to inaction.
- The conversation shifted to propaganda in media and politics, including discussions about global warming and COVID messaging.
- Nuclear energy is the only scalable solution for energy needs if climate change is real, and that AI and technology interests influenced the shift in media focus.
- We discussed deliberate and coincidental market messaging, citing examples of Fed statements and past financial crises like 2008.
- Michael Burry’s recent fund positions and put options on Nvidia and Palantir were discussed as a signal for investors to pay attention, though not necessarily to follow blindly.
- Extreme caution in investing is recommended, particularly in markets or sectors one does not fully understand, such as the stressed auto-loan market.
- Signs of market stress were highlighted, including unusual moves in the SOFR rate and subprime auto-loan distress, though not on the scale of the 2008 mortgage crisis.
- The K-shaped economy was explained, where asset holders benefit from price inflation while those without assets see income stagnation and rising expenses.
- Rising housing costs and mortgage challenges were linked to declining fertility rates and generational effects on college and workforce participation.
- Indicators of market sentiment, including CNN’s Fear and Greed Index, were analyzed, with a caution not to follow them blindly as they often lag or mislead.
- Observations were made on shifting consumer behaviors, including declining cash usage and businesses refusing pennies as payment.
- Future discussion topics were teased, including REIT investment opportunities and year-to-date market performance insights.
Growing Global Debt and the Future of the Global Economy with Jean-Baptiste Wautier
Money Tree Investing
Jean-Baptiste Wautier is here to talk growing global debt and the impact on the economy. He draws on decades of private-equity and macro experience to discuss accelerating global change, arguing that rising debt, AI, and political polarization are reshaping the economic and geopolitical order. We discuss Europe’s recent market strength, China as an unavoidable, though risky, investment given its scale and AI ambitions, and gold and crypto as hedges rather than true currency alternatives. He also warms that global debt dynamics will force restructuring in places like Japan and parts of...
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How To Profit In The Run It Hot Economy
Money Tree Investing
Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at
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College Without Crushing Debt with Shellee Howard
Money Tree Investing
Shellee Howard is on the show today to talk how to do college without crushign debt for your kids. She shares how her journey as a “mom on a mission” led her to help families navigate the college process strategically, emphasizing early preparation, self-discovery, and return on investment rather than prestige alone. She explains why overcrowded school counselors fall short, how students should clarify their values, talents, and career goals before choosing colleges, and why college should be viewed as a business decision and a stepping stone to adulthood, and not a status symbol. With the...
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The Best Ways to Invest in the Run It Hot Economy
Money Tree Investing
We're in the middle of a run it hot economy. Today our discussion ranged from geopolitics into markets, including precious metals. Silver’s recent surge is best understood as a reversion toward historical gold–silver ratios rather than a knowable fundamental catalyst. Silver’s parabolic move looks unstable compared to gold’s healthier, slower uptrend. But no one can truly know why prices move, so investors should be clear about why they own precious metals since that purpose should drive allocation size and risk tolerance. We also talk macro conditions, the U.S. may be pursuing an...
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Secret Franchising Profits For Investors
Money Tree Investing
Barbara Friedberg | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at
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2026 Predictions... This is What Will Outperform in 2026
Money Tree Investing
Douglas Heagren | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at
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Investing in Bitcoin in 2026
Money Tree Investing
Arrash Yasavoli discusses how you should jump on investing in bitoin in 2026! Arrash's path from data engineering at LinkedIn into quantitative trading, crypto, and building Glitch, a SaaS platform that gives broader access to advanced trading strategies gives a unique perspective into possible 2026 investing plans. We also talk Bitcoin’s role as a potential store of value, the divergence between Bitcoin and altcoins, the growing importance of real utility and valuation in crypto projects, the rise of ETFs and stablecoins as bridges to mainstream adoption, and more. We discuss... Barbara...
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2025 Wrap Up... Year End Surprises
Money Tree Investing
There are a lot of year end surprises in store with the 2025 wrap up. The year has come to an end and we are here to discuss everything from year-end reflections and personal anecdotes to a broad market outlook. We focused on the recent surge and volatility in precious metals, especially silver, explaining how futures-market leverage and exchange rule changes (like margin requirement hikes) are used to cool speculative excess, why parabolic price moves are unhealthy, and why investors should be cautious in the near term even if long-term fundamentals remain bullish. We also talked government...
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Why AI Hype and Clickbait Are Failing Serious Business Owners with Elliot Holland
Money Tree Investing
Elliot Holland joins us to explore the realities of building and sustaining a high-quality, trust-driven professional business in an era dominated by AI hype, declining marketing efficiency, and algorithmic noise. We discuss skepticism around AI’s real-world impact especially in high-stakes financial decisions. We also talk marketing and content strategy, why sensationalism and clickbait may win algorithms but will always repel discerning clients. We also unpack our frustrations with modern marketing platforms like Google, Facebook, and HubSpot as they grow increasingly expensive and...
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Year End Tax Loss Selling Secrets You Must Know
Money Tree Investing
Today we're sharing the tax loss selling secrets you need to know before 2026! We also talk understanding personal strengths and psychological limits in investing. It's good to avoid shiny-object strategies like day trading and prioritize risk management through diversification. We explore how market structure, valuations, and historical data suggest future returns may be lower and more volatile, making stress-testing portfolios and aligning risk with temperament essential. Remember long-term success comes from discipline, education, adaptability, and thoughtful strategy rather than chasing...
info_outlineThe stock market is broken! Today we talk about a broad range of economic, market, and behavioral topics, beginning with the cognitive bias of sunk costs and how it affects personal decisions, investing, and business choices, emphasizing the importance of recognizing losses and cutting them early. We also explore recent market signals, including distress in the credit and auto-loan markets, and the K-shaped economy. We also critique media and policy narratives, pointing to propaganda around climate change and the pivot to nuclear energy. It's important to be aware and prudent in your observations in uncertain times. We also remark on the rising cost of living, currency devaluation (the end of the penny), and market performance trends.
We discuss...
Today's Panelists:
Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth
Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors
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For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/stock-market-is-broken